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Out own Ju-ju” chirped Ontiette. “Out little plaything” 















JU'JU 

AND HIS FRIENDS 

A Story of France 

By 

MARIA VAN VROOMAN 



Pictures by 

LUCILLE WALLOWER ' 


JUNIOR PRESS BOOKS 

ALBERf^WHITMAN 

&" VI co 

CHICAGO 

1939 


Copyright, 1939, by Albert Whitman & Company 




Lithographed in the U.S.A. 


® C| A 1 29656 


MAY 29 1939 





THE SURPRISE 


soon as Onriette opened her eyes, she remembered this 
was a special day! 

The sun shone brightly on the red-tiled floor. The olive 
trees outside whispered in the shade. And the big sign over 
the gate of the inn swung in the breeze. 

Onriette wondered what time it was. 

She sat up and rubbed her eyes. She yawned. Again she 
remembered that it was a special day. 


[9 ] 





“Good gracious!” cried Onriette, jumping quickly out of 
bed. “Today of all days, I must not be late!” 

Onriette was a happy little French girl. She bad brown 
eyes set wide apart and a smile that came quickly. She loved 
to laugh, sing, and be busy all day. 

Onriette lived at the village inn. Her grandmother and 
her brother Onri lived there also. The children’s grand¬ 
mother owned the inn. It was called “The Golden Bird.” 
Onriette and Onri thought their home had a very pretty 
name. 

This morning Onriette dressed quickly in her long black 
smock and red felt slippers. She hurried to the window to 
be sure the day was clear. 

Outdoors everything looked very nice. 

Below in the garden, stood many small tables under gay 
yellow umbrellas. Orange trees in tubs threw blue shadows 
on the grass. Red geraniums bloomed in the flower boxes. 

On the big sign was painted a little golden bird. He 
showed people the way to the inn. 

Onriette liked to pretend the bird on the sign was alive. 
She called to him now from the window. 

“Good morning, little bird. Today I am in great haste!” 
Onriette began to brush her thick black hair very fast. “I 
must hurry down to the kitchen and help Gra’mere with 
breakfast. I must not be late. For today is a special day.” 


[ 10 ] 



“Good morning, little bird. Today I am in great haste” 












The bird on the sign wondered why Onriette said today 
was a special day. True, the weather was just right for a 
fine surprise. Perhaps something nice was going to happen 
to the children at the inn? The little bird hoped so. For 
everyone liked Onri and Onriette. 

Onriette had finished dressing now. She ran quickly 
downstairs. 

“Good morning, dear Gra’mere,” she cried, bounding 
into the kitchen all ready to help. “Where is Onri? Is it 
very late?” 

Grandmere had pleasant lines in her face and a gray top- 
knot of hair on her head. She smiled at Onriette’s words. 

“Good morning, little one. Your brother is weeding the 
garden. No, it is not late. Breakfast is just ready/’ 

Onriette flew about pouring out the chocolat and put¬ 
ting long rolls of bread on the table. Grandmere set out 
fresh figs and big blue plums. Everything was ready to be 
eaten. 

“Onri must wash his hands,” said Grandmere. “See if 
he is coming.” 

Just as Onriette went to the door, her brother came in. 

Onri was a little older than Onriette. They liked to do 
everything together. But because Onri was a boy, he teased 
his sister all the time. Onriette pretended to be cross about 
it. She really did not mind, however. 


[ 12 ] 



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Omiette flew about pouring out the chocolat 






















































































Onri grinned at Onriette now as he washed his hands. 

“Alois! I thought you were going to sleep all day, On¬ 
riette. When I came past your door, the snores were enough 
to shake the roof." 

Onri winked at Grandmere as he said this. His eyes shone 
like raisins sunk deep in a pudding. 

"I was not snoring!” burst out Onriette. She set down 
her chocolate cup quickly and seized a lock of Onri's hair. 
“I don’t snore, do I, Gra’mere? Say I don’t, you green cab¬ 
bage, or I'll pull hard!” And Onriette tugged at her broth¬ 
er’s hair. 

Onri pretended to be frightened. 

‘‘Ow! Ow! Help, Gra’mere!” He began to run about 
the table as fast as he could. Onriette sped after him, gig¬ 
gling. She chased Onri with the water pitcher. Onri laughed 
and ducked. Grandmere was smiling at the two of them. 

“Eh bien, what goes on here?” came a deep voice from 
the doorway. 




She chased Onci with the water pitcher 



















































All three looked up. There stood their good friend, Doc- 
teur Lepage. He had a room at the inn and took his break¬ 
fast with them. 

“Oh, dear Docteur,” exclaimed Onriette, setting down the 
water pitcher with a thump. “Are you ready for your 
chocolat and rolls?” 

“You have spared me a bath from the water pitcher,” 
grinned Onri to the doctor. 

Onriette giggled. 

“These children are excited because it is a special day and 
they will go to the city,” their grandmother said. “They 
would rather play than eat.” 

But Onri and Onriette had much to do before they could 
go to the city. Onri must weed his artichokes and cabbages. 
Onriette must mop the floors and wash the dishes. Even 
on a special day like this, both children must do their work. 

Docteur Lepage was also going to the city. But first he 
bad to call on his patients. Then he would meet Onriette 
and Onri at the village gate, and they could all ride together 
on the tram car. 

At ten o’clock the children were ready. 

Onriette stood waiting under the big sign with the golden 
bird on it. She had on her big sun hat. Onri was there also. 
He wore his new shoes. The tram car was just crawling 
up the hill. But where was Docteur Lepage? 


[ 16 ] 


Just as the car reached them, the children saw the fat little 
doctor running down the street. He was puffing hard. 

“Ascend! Ascend!" he cried as he ran. “Tell the con¬ 
ductor to wait for me. I must have my medicine case. It is 
on my table." 

As soon as Onri heard this, he started off to get the medi¬ 
cine case for Docteur. Docteur Lepage puffed closer, his 
face very red. 

“Onri will get the medicine case," cried Onriette. She ran 
to the car and waved at the conductor. “Oh, please wait a 
minute! We cannot go to the city without Docteur Lepage." 

Docteur Lepage reached the car and wiped his hot face. 
And now Onri came running out of the inn with the black 
case. All was ready. The three of them got on the tram 
and it started. Grandmere smiled from the window. 

“There they go.” said the little bird on the sign over the 
gate. The tram car sped away down the hill. The bird on 
the sign wondered why the two children were going to the 
city today. 

Onriette and Onri were going to the city to meet their 
father. 

They did not see their father often, for he was a fisher¬ 
man. His fishing boats were at sea most of the time. Today 
the boats were to dock for a few hours. Onri and Onriette 
could talk with him for a little while. 


[ 17 ] 


They would not have time for much more than a hug 
and a kiss. But Father would ask how everything was at 
the inn. And the children would give him Grandmere’s 
message. Even though they must say good-by again so soon, 
just to see Father a few minutes would be very nice. 

Onri and Onriette had no mother. She had died when 
they were very small. They loved their father dearly. They 
also loved Grandmere very much. But they often longed 
for a lovely mother, too. 

Now the tram car hurried along carrying the children 
to the city. As soon as they got there, Docteur Lepage left 
Onri and Onriette. At the docks they easily found the fish¬ 
ing boats. They could see their father’s boat tied up at the 
wharf. 

“There's Father himself.” cried Onriette. catching sight 
of him. 

“Father, here we are!” shouted Onri loudly. 

A big brown man in a striped jersey and velvet slacks 
turned and waved to them. 

He was very glad to see Onri and Onriette. He had a 
kiss on both cheeks for Onriette. He had a clap on the back 
for Onri. How tall and strong he was, from the red pom¬ 
pom on his cap, to his wooden sabots! The children were 
so proud of Father. 

Aloes, my little ones,” rumbled the big fisherman in 
[ 18 ] 



' 


He had a kiss for Omiette 


f 












his deep voice. “It is good to see you again. How did you 
leave everything at home?” 

Onri and Onriette told him all was well. They told him 
Grandmere sent her love, and prayers for a good catch of 
fish. Then they asked how long he would be away. 

“I shall be gone three weeks this trip,” their father replied. 
“But when I return I promise to stay with you several 
weeks. And now you must promise me something! Help 
Grandmere every day while I am away. Be dutiful and I 
will be proud of you, mes petits.” 

Onri and Onriette promised to be dutiful. Then they 
kissed their father good-by. 

It was hard to see him go. But what fun it would be 
when the fishing boats returned. Then they would all be 
together at the inn for a long time. Father had promised. 

“In three weeks, little ones!” called the big sailor now, 
as he jumped onto his boat. He waved his cap to Onriette 
and Onri. The sails went up. The boat began to move off. 

“Bonne chance! Good luck. Father!” shouted Onri. 

“ ’Till three weeks. Father dear,” called Onriette. 

The boat moved away swiftly. Onriette felt tears in her 
eyes. Onri had a lump in his throat. It was hard to see 
Father leave them. 

They watched the boat out of sight and turned away to 
go home. 


[ 20 ] 


Just then a gay voice called out behind them. “Ho, little 
cabbages! Who wants to know a secret?” 

Onri and Onriette looked around. There was a big boy 
calling to them. He was coming down the dock. It was 
their Cousin Charles. 

They were so glad to see him. Cousin Charles was bigger 
than themselves, but he was very full of fun. Onriette and 
Onri called him “Shari.” 

“Oh, Shari,” coaxed Onriette, “do come home with us. 
We have not seen you for such a long time.” 

“What secret were you talking about?” asked Onri. 

Shari liked to tease the children. But he knew they were 
sad just now, because they had just said good-by to their 
father. So he told them about the secret at once. 

“Your father left something for you,” replied Shari 
cheerfully. “Look over here in this shed. You have a fine 
surprise, little cousins.” 

Shari led Onri and Onriette to a shed nearby. He opened 
the door. The children stared at Shari to see if he were teas¬ 
ing them. They did not know what to think. What was 
in the shed? 

“Look inside,” nodded Shari. “The secret is waiting.” 

Onriette and Onri looked in the shed. And there stood 
a handsome little gray donkey! He was contentedly chew¬ 
ing a piece of hay. 


C 21 ] 


“Oh, what a darling!” squealed Onriette, running to rub 
his nose. 

“Eh bien, such a surprise! Is he for us?” gasped Onri. 

Cousin Shari laughed to see their joy. 

“His name is Ju-ju, and he will be your pet,” explained 
Shari. “He will be very helpful at the inn,” added their 
cousin. 

“Our own Ju-ju,” chirped Onriette. “Our little play¬ 
thing.” 

“He will go to market with us,” agreed Onri. 

Cousin Shari had a fine red harness for Ju-ju. And now 
the little donkey trotted home with the three of them. He 
was very well satisfied to belong to Onri and Onriette. 




THE PICNIC PARTY 

Grandmere liked Ju-ju at once. 

She thought he was a very nice little donkey. He was 
sturdy. He was handsome. Cousin Shari told Grandmere 
the children's father had left Ju-ju for them. 

“Alors, and a fine little beast he is.” nodded Grandmere, 
patting Ju-ju. “He will do many tasks for us.” 

Ju-ju stood by very quietly. He liked to be patted. 

“See his pretty soft eyes,” exclaimed Onriette. 

“And his fine straight legs,” pointed out Onri. 


[ 23 ] 






“Everyone will admire your new pet,” agreed Cousin 
Shari. He led Ju-ju to the stable now and tied him up. 
“He is very strong. He will carry the vegetables to market 
for you. He is good-tempered and young. Did you know 
he is just one year old today?” 

“Oh, it is Ju-ju’s birthday!” laughed Onriette, clapping 
her hands. “We must have a party.” 

Onri and Onriette looked at Grandmere. She smiled. 

“But yes,” Grandmere said. “Perhaps we should have a 
party. I will see what is in the kitchen.” And she went 
indoors to look in her cupboard. 

“A party, a party,” burst out Onriette, running about 
in a circle. She hopped up and down with joy. “A birthday 
party for Ju-ju!” Cousin Shari and Onri laughed to see her. 

Just then someone came into the courtyard of the inn. 
It was a woman, smiling at the three. She called to the chil¬ 
dren. Onri and Cousin Shari turned to see who it was. 
Onriette looked too. 

Then Onriette cried out, “Mam’selle! Dear Mam’selle!” 

She sprang into the woman’s arms and gave her a big hug. 

“Mam’selle!” shouted Onri, rushing up gladly. 

It was Mam’selle Marie, the children’s teacher. She had 
been away all summer for her vacation. Mam’selle had gone 
to the far-away United States. Onri and Onriette were so 
happy to see her again. 


[ 24 ] 


“When did you come?” and, “Will school begin soon?” 
questioned Onri and Onriette together. Cousin Shari went 
in to tell Grandmere who had arrived. 

“There is no school today. I am here to invite you to 
a picnic,” laughed Mam’selle, her blue eyes shining. “Ask 
Grandmere if you may go. For I think we shall have a good 
time.” 

And when Mam’selle said picnic, she called it peek-neek. 

“What is a peek-neek?” asked Onri quickly. 

“A party in the woods,” replied Mam’selle. “We shall 
take along some good things to eat. Will you like that, 
little ones?” 

“Oh, yes,” the children said together. 

“But first you must see Ju-ju, our new pet,” begged On¬ 
riette, pulling Mam’selle into the stable to Ju-ju’s stall. “Is 
he not nice? Father left him for us. And today is Ju-ju’s 
birthday, too.” 

Mam’selle was very glad to see Ju-ju. She rubbed his 
soft nose and he twitched his ears. Ju-ju liked Mam’selle. 
And she liked him. 

“Since it is Ju-ju's birthday,” decided Mam’selle, “we 
shall make it a birthday peek-neek, little ones. You two and 
Shari and Ju-ju shall come with me to the woods and cele¬ 
brate that way. I have in my bag something to make a birth¬ 
day surprise as they do in the United States.” 


[ 25 ] 



Onri and Onriette thought that was very fine. They were 
anxious to find out what a picnic was and what the surprise 
would be. Grandmere said they might go with Mam’selle. 
So soon they all started off down the road together. 

Onriette rode on Ju-ju’s back. He walked very carefully 
so that his little friend would be comfortable. Ju-ju liked 
going on a picnic, too. 

And now they came to a flowery green spot by the brook. 

“Here is a good place for the peek-neek,’’ said Mam’selle. 

She set down the box she was carrying. Onri put down 
his basket also. And Cousin Shari helped Onriette climb 
off Ju-ju. 


[ 26 ] 




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Omiette rode on Ju-ju s back 

















“Now I will show you how a peek-neck goes in the 
United States,” began Mam’selle. 

First Mam’selle spread a blue tablecloth on the grass. 
Then Onriette and Shari took some little square packages 
from the boxes. They were sandwiches. The children had 
never tasted them before. 

Onri brought out the fruit Grandmere had given them. 
The square packages were opened and Mam’selle passed 
them around. 

“These are American sandwiches,” she said—only she 
called them sand-weeches. “See if you like them.” 

Onri and Onriette and Cousin Shari bit into the sand¬ 
wiches and tasted them. 

“Mmmmh!” said Onriette. “How good!” 

“San’weeches,” said Onri, chewing very fast. “Mmmmh!" 

And Cousin Shari liked them, too. 

None of them had ever eaten American sandwiches, or 
green pickles, or white cake before. Everything tasted so 
good outdoors. It was jolly. 

But there was still one big box to be unpacked. Mam’selle 
looked at it thoughtfully. 

“What is in that big white box?” asked Onriette curi¬ 
ously. 

Mam’selle laughed. 

“That is the birthday surprise,” she said. “At every 


[ 28 ] 


birthday party in the United States, there is a surprise. I 
wanted to have it for you the way American children do. 
But perhaps we cannot.” 

Everyone looked up. 

“Why not, Mam’selle?” asked Onri. 

Mam’selle told them. “The one who is having the birth¬ 
day must hide his eyes. Then the surprise is brought out, 
and the party begins.” 

Onriette and Shari began to laugh and laugh. 

“How can Ju-ju hide his eyes?” giggled Onriette. rocking 
back and forth as if she would never stop laughing. “Oh, 
dear; and it is Ju-ju’s birthday! What shall we do?” 

Everyone laughed very much. Then Shari sprang up. 

“I know what to do,” be cried, taking his handkerchief 
from his pocket. “See, I will hold this handkerchief over 
Ju-ju’s eyes while you get the surprise ready. I will hide 
my eyes also. Then I shall be surprised, too.” 

“And Onri and I shall hide our eyes, Mam’selle.” shouted 
Onriette, catching her brother’s hand. “Quickly. Onri! We 
must not look.” 

So Shari held the handkerchief over Ju-ju's eyes, and 
also closed his own eyes. 

Onri and Onriette hid their faces in their arms. 

Mam'selle was pleased. She began to get the surprise 
ready. 


[ 29 ] 


Now Onri and Onriette, and Cousin Shari and Ju-ju 
heard paper crackling. There was also a strange scratching 
noise. They waited and waited. What was Mam’selle doing? 

Onriette wiggled her toes. She wanted to peek. But she 
did not. 

Ju-ju stamped in the grass. He was tired of waiting, too. 

“Surprise! Look and see!” sang out Mam’selle at last. 

Everybody laughed at once. Then they cried out. 

“O, how pretty!” 

“A beautiful cake!” 

“£/? bienr 

In the center of the tablecloth was a lovely white cake. 
It shone with small lighted pink candles. Mam'selle had 
made the cake herself for the picnic. The candles were in 
her bag. She had brought them from the United States to 
show the children because they were different from French 
candles. 

They were perfect for the birthday party. 

“The pink candles are so gay,” exclaimed Onriette. 

Mam’selle nodded. “But, yes. And now there is one 
more thing to do before we cut the cake. The one whose 
birthday it is makes a wish, then blows out the candles. 
Onriette, you must make the wish instead of Ju-ju. And 
then Onri will try to blow out the candles with one puff. 
And we shall see if your wish will come true.” 


[ 30 ] 






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Omiette pressed her hands over her eyes 











“I must make a wish?” burst out Onriette in glee. 

“Make a good one,” commanded Mam’selle. “But do 
not speak it out. Whisper it to yourself. Then it should 
come true.” 

Onriette pressed her hands over her eyes and began to 
think. She thought what fun the picnic party was. How 
kind of Mam’selle to have it for them. What a lovely 
mother she would make. 

Onriette thought of all this. Then she wished hard for a 
sweet mother like Mam’selle! 

“There, I have made the wish,” she cried. 

Mam'selle turned to Onri and smiled. 

“Now. Onri, blow a big breath. See how many candles 
will go out. You have only one try.” 

Onri pursed his lips and drew in a great breath. His face 
was puffed up. He looked like a fat frog. Onriette giggled. 

This made everyone laugh. Onri lost the breath and 
chuckled, too. He had to begin again. But the second time, 
he blew as bard as he could. 

Puff! What a big blow! All the little pink candles went 
out but one. 

“Only one candle remains lighted,” explained Mam’selle. 
“Onriette, your wish will come true within one year. I hope 
it was a nice one?” 

“It was beautiful,” smiled Onriette. “I am so glad.” 

[ 32 ] 


Mam’selle.cut the cake now, and each piece had a pink 
candle on it. 

“I am glad Ju-ju had a birthday,” said Onriette. 

“Peek-neeks are fun,” spoke up Onri. 

Cousin Shari had given Ju-ju an apple. Now the little 
donkey looked over at the picnic party. He began to nod his 
head up and down. He wanted another apple. He brayed 
as loudly as he could. 

“Ju-ju likes peek-neeks too,” exclaimed Onriette, gig¬ 
gling. “He says ‘Thank you,’ Mam’selle.” 





THE WASPS 

Now that Mam’selle was home, school began again. To¬ 
day was the first day of school. Onriette and Onri were 
ready for it. 

Onriette had a new smock. Grandmere had made it for 
her. It was embroidered with flowers. Onri wore his new 
beret. 

“Dear Gra’mere,” begged Onriette, “may we take Ju-ju 
to school with us?" 

Grandmere wiped her hands on her apron and smiled. 

[ 34 ] 
















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“May we take Ju-ju to school with us?” 




















“What would Ju-ju do in the school room?” she asked 
with a twinkle. “Sit at the desk and read your spelling 
book?” 

Onriette and Onri shouted with laughter at such a funny 
picture. 

“No, no, Gra’mere! I want to ride Ju-ju to school and 
show him to our friends,” giggled Onriette. 

Grandmere said Ju-ju might go to school with them. So 
Onri harnessed the little donkey in the red bridle and they 
said good-by to Grandmere. Onriette rode on Ju-ju’s back. 

The children were glad to be going to school again. The 
summer was long. They liked school. 

Everybody at school wanted to see Ju-ju. Onri tied him 
to a tree outside the school building. All the children gath¬ 
ered about to see this new pet of Onri’s and Onriette’s. 

“Is he not nice and fat?” admired Jacques, Onri’s chum. 

“He is very strong, too,” boasted Onri. 

“What little feet he has,” lisped small Louise, the baby 
of the class. 

“I will give you a ride on his back some day,” said On¬ 
riette, putting her arm around Louise. 

Everybody liked Ju-ju. They stroked his back and pat¬ 
ted bis head. Ju-ju did not mind being tied outside the 
school house. He was happy as long as the children were 
there. He switched his tail and wiggled his ears in pleasure. 


[ 36 ] 


He was proud to bear the nice things all the children said 
about him. 

But very soon Mam’selle came to the school door. Now 
she rang the big school bell. Everybody went inside. Ju-ju 
was alone. 

Onriette and Onri were glad school had begun. 

It was pleasant to see all their friends again. It was excit¬ 
ing to look at new books and maps. And it was very good 
to see Mam’selle herself smiling at them from her desk up 
in front. 

First Mam’selle gave them a short lesson at the black¬ 
board. Then it was time to study. Each pupil said the les¬ 
son over to himself in a low voice. All the voices hummed 
and buzzed together. The school room sounded like a large 
beehive. 

But suddenly there was another sound. 

Onriette noticed it first. Something flew in the open win¬ 
dow and went zing! against her spelling book. 

“Oh!” exclaimed Onriette, in surprise. 

Everyone turned to look at her. Onri wondered why his 
sister was speaking out in study time. It was against the 
rules. 

“Oh, ohhh!” burst out Onriette again in fear. A very 
large wasp had bumped against her head. But it flew out 
the open window again. 


C 37 ] 


Onriette’s face was very red. She began to tell Mam’selle 
why she had cried out. But just then something else hap¬ 
pened. 

A big black head appeared at the window! It had two 
long ears and a huge mouth full of sharp teeth. It made a 
fearful noise. It brayed long and loud, startling everyone. 

“Bbb-rrrrray! Bray! Bray!!” 

It was Ju-ju! 

He had become untied and was afraid of something. He 
was trying to tell Onri and Onriette about it. 

All the children jumped up. Little Louise was quite 
frightened. She began to cry. 

Onri sprang to his feet and ran to the door to get Ju-ju. 
Everyone was very much excited. Mam’selle rapped on the 
desk with her ruler. Ju-ju had gone away from the window 
now. 

“Sit down, children,” ordered Mam’selle. “Onri may go 
out and tie up Ju-ju. The rest of you continue with your 
studies.” 

Onri ran out to get Ju-ju. He left the door open. But 
in a minute, he ran in again and banged the door shut behind 
him. 

Everybody looked up. They stared at Onri. 

“Mam’selle,” gasped Onri, his eyes very big, “something 
has happened! Close the windows as fast as you can.” 


[ 38 ] 



It was Ju-ju! 

















































































Just then Onriette cried out and pointed to the windows. 

“Wasps!” she squeaked. “Oh, Mam’selle, what shall we 
do?” 

Several big black wasps were coming in through the win¬ 
dows. They flew about the room. The girls screamed and 
the boys began to chase the insects with papers. The wasps 
zigzagged over the desks and flew out again. 

“Shut the windows,” commanded Mam’selle. 

Onri still held fast to the door. 

“Mam'selle, I cannot get out to tie up Ju-ju,” he cried. 
“There is a big wasps’ nest over the door. The wasps are 
everywhere.” 

All the children looked at Mam’selle in dismay. Now 
how could Onri get out to tie up Ju-ju? 

“Sit down,” replied Mam’selle quietly. “Onri, tell me 
again about the wasps’ nest. Then we will decide what 
to do.” 

So Onri told her again about the nest. It was hanging 
just outside the school room door. The wasps were buzzing 
about it. Anyone going out of the door might be stung by 
the big black insects. 

“How will we get home from school?” sobbed little 
Louise. 

Onriette tried to comfort her. 

“Someone must go for help,” decided Mam’selle. “One 
of the men in the village will know what to do.” 


[ 40 ] 











Just then Onciette 


ctied out and pointed to the windows 


t 







Onri jumped up and waved his hand. “Mam’selle, I 
will go for help.” 

"No, no!” exclaimed Onriette, “You will get stung, 
Onri.” And she looked very much worried. 

But Mam’selle had a plan. She opened the closet door 
behind her desk and took out an old coat and hat. She 
turned to Onri. 

“Onri, I am going to dress you up in these old clothes. 
They will cover you all over. I think you can get through 
the wasps without being stung. Then you can run down 
to the square, and find someone to come and take the nest 
away for us.” 

“But what about his face and hands?” asked Jacques. 

“I have a big veil and some gloves, too,” said Mam’selle, 
getting them from the closet. “You will be quite safe now, 
Onri.” 

Onriette felt better when she saw all these things. She 
was ready to let Onri go. She helped him dress up in the 
long coat and hat, and the veil and gloves. 

Onri looked very funny indeed when he was dressed. The 
long coat dragged on the ground. The gloves were too big. 
The hat and veil sat on Onri’s head like a big pastry tied up 
in a cloth. 

But nobody laughed. Onri would be safe from the wasps 
now. 


[ 42 ] 


* 



mm 


She helped him dress up in the long coat and hat 




































Onriettc looked up at Mam’selle and asked a question. 

“Mam’selle, is it true the wasps like sweet things to eat?” 

"Yes,” nodded her teacher. “They follow sweets as the 
bees do.” 

“Oh, Mam’selle,” cried Onriette excitedly, “why cannot 
Onri lead the wasps away from here himself? We have some 
jam san’weeches in our lunch basket. He can take the san’- 
weeches with him, and the wasps will follow the jam.” 

“Do wasps like jam?” asked little Louise. 

Jacques nodded. “But yes. They like sweet things.” 

“Then,” said Onri decidedly, “I will take the jam sand¬ 
wiches outdoors. The wasps will settle on the jam. And 
I will carry them off some place far from school. That will 
do the trick.” 

Mam’selle and Onriette and everyone thought that was a 
good idea. So Onriette got the sandwiches. She opened 
them and laid them on Onri’s hands, jam side up. If the 
wasps liked the jam, they would stay on the pieces of bread 
while Onri carried them far away. 

Now Onri was ready. Jacques opened the door quickly 
for him. Onri slipped out. He was on his way. 

“Close the door,” cried everyone. 

Onri was among the wasps now. Inside, they all listened 
closely. They could hear Onri walking away from the 
school house. Were the wasps following the jam? 


[ 44 ] 


Onriette wondered where Ju-ju was. The wasps must 
have frightened him very much. Poor Ju-ju! Would Onri 
find him? 

Very soon there was a tap at the door. Onri slipped in 
again. He was eager to tell about the wasps and the jam. 

“What did they do?” everybody cried. 

“I carried out the jam and bread,” replied Onri, “And 
the wasps followed me. They settled on the jam as thick 
as flies. I walked away to the city wall. The wasps did not 
even move when I laid the bread down on the wall. They 
will eat all the jam. Every wasp is gone from here. Only 
the nest is left.” 

“You have done very well,” smiled Mam’selle. 

Onriette was proud of her brother. He was brave. 

Everyone felt better now. The windows could be opened. 
Little Louise wiped her eyes and smiled. The wasps were 
far away on the city wall eating jam. They were having a 
feast. 

Onri took off the coat, the hat. the veil and the gloves. 

Onriette whispered to him. “Did you see Ju-ju?" 

Onri shook his head. He had not seen Ju-ju anywhere. 

Everyone tried to get back to lessons. But it was hard to 
study now. There had been so much excitement over the 
wasps. 

Onri was thinking about the wasps’ nest. At last he could 


[ 45 ] 



keep quiet no longer. He raised his hand and Mam’selle 
looked up. 

“Yes, little one?” 

“Mam’selle? May we bring the wasps’ nest in here and 
look at it? If we leave it outside, the wasps may come back 
to their home.” 

“That is true,” agreed Mam’selle. “Perhaps we should 
take the nest down. But first, be sure there are no wasps 
inside it.” 

Three of the boys went outside to look. There was not 
a single wasp anywhere near. So they took down the nest 
and brought it in the school room. 

Everyone wanted to look at the nest. It was fun. 

“See how cleverly the wasps make their house.” pointed 
out Mam’selle. “They weave it together bit by bit. What 
pains they take. What patience, what care!” 

“And what a funny home,” giggled Onriette. 


[ 46 } 





Everyone wanted 


to look at the nest 

















The school had a fine nature lesson from the wasps’ nest. 

When Onri and Onriette hurried home after school, they 
told Grandmere all about it. 

“But what happened to our little Ju-ju?" asked Onriette. 
“We must find him at once." 

Grandmere smiled. 

“Do not worry,” she said. “He came home safely. He 
is out in the stable now eating his oats." 

Onriette and Onri ran to the stable to see their pet. They 
found three big wasp stings on his back. 

“Poor Ju-ju!” cooed Onriette. “No wonder you brayed 
so loudly. You were frightened. You did not mean to be 
naughty, did you?" 

“I will ask Docteur Lepage to make a medicine,” said 
Onri, “to take the stings away.” 

Docteur Lepage mixed a good mud pack to put on the 
stings. And soon Ju-ju felt better. 

Onri and Onriette talked a long time about the wasps. 
The first day of school had been exciting, and very inter¬ 
esting. 

But Ju-ju did not think so. The wasps had not been 
interesting to him. Ju-ju did not want ever to meet a 
wasp again! 


[ 48 ] 


► 



JU-JU GOES TO MARKET 

Grandmere was in the kitchen by the fire, stirring potage. 
Onriette sat on a stool at her feet. 

“Onriette, today is Saturday,” said Grandmere. “How 
would you and Ju-ju like to go to market for me?” 
Onriette could not believe her ears. 

She had been to the market in Cagnes many times with 
Grandmere. She had been with Onri. She had even gone 
with Cousin Shari. But she had never been there alone. 
And now Grandmere said she might take Ju-ju with her! 


[ 49 } 


“Oh, Gra’mere,” bubbled Onriette, running to get her 
sun hat. “There is nothing I like better than going to 
market.” 

Onri had lots of fresh vegetables from his garden to send 
to market today. He was glad Onriette was going to Cagnes. 
It was a big town and many people came there to buy. 
Onri would get a good price for his onions and carrots. 

Onriette was very happy. She ran out to tell Ju-ju he 
was to go to market. Ju-ju was pleased. He had never been 
to market. 

Onri got Ju-ju and the vegetables ready to go. 

“Stand still, Ju-ju,” ordered Onri as he brought some big 
baskets for the vegetables. “Let me put these baskets on 
your back. They will hold my turnips and cabbages, my 
carrots, onions, cauliflowers and beets. Stand still, so.” 

Ju-ju stood very still. Onri fastened a big basket on each 
side of Ju-ju’s back. The little donkey had never carried 
baskets before. But he did not move. He thought it would 
be fun to go to market. 

Onri was proud of Ju-ju. He was a good little beast. 

“How nice the vegetables look,” called Onriette, as Onri 
piled them in the baskets. “Gra’mere must have washed 
them. They are so bright and clean.” 

“They will sell better, then,” replied Onri. 

When Onriette got to Cagnes, she was to go and find 


[ 50 ] 





Ju-ju stood very still 









Madame Dupre. She was Grandmeres friend. Madame 
Dupre would see that the vegetables had a good place in the 
market. She sold things there herself. 

'When you have sold everything, come right home/' said 
Grandmere now. as Onriette was ready to go. 

Onriette promised. 

So she and Ju-ju started off for Gagnes. 

Onriette did not ride on Ju-ju s back. There was not 
room because of the two baskets of vegetables. She and 
Ju-ju walked side by side down the road. Onri and Grand- 
mere waved good-by from the inn door. 

Onriette felt very happy to be going to market with 
Ju-ju. The day was sunny. Cagnes was not far away. 

Along the road, the scenery was very pretty. On one side 
could be seen the great French Alps. They were covered 
with snow on each peak. On the other side of the road, far 
away was the blue Mediterranean Sea. Its waters danced 
gaily in the sun. 

Between the mountains and the sea were lovely hills. On 
each hilltop was a village like the one in which Onri and 
Onriette lived. 

Onriette and Ju-ju walked along the road at a good rate. 
They passed a shepherd and his friendly dog. They passed 
the place where they had the picnic with Mam’selle. And 
soon the towers of Cagnes were in sight. 


[ 52 ] 



So she and Ju-ju started off for Cagnes 












“Walk a little faster. Ju-ju/’ coaxed Onriette. 

Cagnes was a very old town. It was built on a steep hill. 
Its streets went up stone steps to a big square. The market 
was on the square. Here Madame Dupre would be waiting 
for Onriette. 

Onriette and Ju-ju came inside the city gate. It was cool 
here. Washerwomen were gathered about the fountain sing¬ 
ing and laughing. It was shady. The fountain played mer¬ 
rily. Pigeons cooed. Red flowers hung over the stone wall. 

Onriette would have liked to stop and talk with the smil¬ 
ing washerwomen. But she and Ju-ju must hurry up the 
street of steps to the market. 













Onrictte led Ju-ju up to the steps and pulled on his bridle. 

“Come, Ju-ju. We must go up to the market and sell 
Onri’s vegetables for him. Then we can go home again and 
rest.” 

But Ju-ju did not wish to climb the steps. 

The sun on the road had been hot. The baskets of vege¬ 
tables were heavy. Ju-ju was tired after the long walk from 
home. He did not want to climb the steep steps to the 
market. 

He set his little feet together in a tight bunch. He would 
not move. 

“Ju-ju,” coaxed Onriette, “Come along! We must take 
the vegetables up the steps. It is just a little way. Then I 
will give you some nice carrots.” 

Ju-ju knew what carrots were. How he did like them! 
But now he was hot and tired. He wanted to rest in the 
cool shade near the fountain. He looked at Onriette, and 
blinked his eyes and switched his tail. But he stood still. 

Onriette pulled and pushed, but Ju-ju would not move. 

He did not want to go up the steps, and he would not! 

Onriette looked about for help. The washerwomen were 
busy scrubbing and singing. The pigeons drank from the 
fountain. People passed on the street without seeing that 
Onriette needed help. She grumbled to herself and tugged 
on the bridle again. 


[ 56 ] 


But Ju-ju only twitched his ears and would not move. 

Just then two boys came along. They were bigger than 
Onriette. But they had been watching her. 

“What is wrong, little girl?” asked one boy with a grin. 
“What is the matter with your donkey?” 

“Can’t you see he won’t go up the steps?” exclaimed 
Onriette. stamping her foot. 

“That can be fixed.” cried the other boy. “He must be 
cranked, like an automobile!” And with a sudden lurch, 
the boy grabbed Ju-ju’s tail in his fist and twisted it around 
as hard as he could. 

Poor Ju-ju! 

He brayed in pain. He flew up the steps like the wind. 
The baskets on his back turned upside down. All of Onri’s 
fresh vegetables fell out on the steps, and then rolled off into 
the dirt. Onriette cried out in dismay. 

“That makes him go!” shouted the boys. They laughed 
and laughed at Onriette and poor Ju-ju. They pushed each 
other about in glee. They did not care what happened to 
the carrots and onions. 

“Oh, what have you done to Onri’s vegetables?” moaned 
Onriette. “They will be dirty and I cannot sell them!” 
She ran here and there trying to gather them up in her apron. 

Ju-ju was out of sight. He had run up all the steps and 
disappeared somewhere in the market. 


[ 57 ] 



“Ha, ha, what a joke!” roared the boys. They still 
shouted and jumped about. They laughed and yelled. 

Some of the washerwomen started to scold the boys. But 
everyone was too busy to help Onriette gather up the vege¬ 
tables. She still flew about, feeling ready to cry when she 
saw how dirty they were now. 

“Ha, ha,” laughed the boys, as if they would never stop. 

“ Tiens!” growled a voice suddenly behind them. “What 
is going on here? A joke, is it? What do you mean by scar¬ 
ing Onriette’s donkey, you young cabbage heads!” And 
there was Cousin Shari looking at the two boys as if he 
would eat them. 

They backed away when they saw how big Shari was. 

[ 58 } 



;.>^S 





if! 

$&r 



“Oh, what have you done to Onti’s vegetables?” 


t 










“Cousin Shari!” cried Onriette. “Where did you come 
from?” 

“Never mind,” replied Shari. “These two shall pay for 
the trick they played on you. I saw it all. Look here, you 
turnip tops! If you like a joke so much, come with me.” 

Shari sprang upon the two boys and held them tightly. 
He pulled them over to the fountain. Onriette watched in 
surprise. What was Shari going to do? 

“Have a drink, my fine fellows,” growled Shari. And 
he ducked the boys under the cold water in the fountain 
and held them there. The water was like ice. The boys 
howled and squirmed. 

“Ow! Ow! Let us up!” they yelled. 

“Have a little drink. It is just a joke,” laughed Shari. 
“Someone told me you liked jokes very much. Here is a 
good one for you.” 

The washerwomen about the fountain were laughing at 
the boys now. The boys did not like that. But they were 
afraid of Shari. They had to do what Shari said. Shari 
was strong. 

Two of the women now helped Onriette find all the vege¬ 
tables and they washed them off in the fountain. None were 
hurt. They would look fine as soon as they were dry. 

Shari took Onriette up to the market. They found Mad¬ 
ame Dupre at her stall. And there was Ju-ju. too! He was 


[ 60 ] 



eating a big carrot as if he had not been frightened at all. 

“Poor little one!” said Onriette. patting him. “The 
naughty boys shall not hurt you again.” 

When Madame Dupre heard what had happened to On¬ 
riette, she brought her a big glass of citronade. Onriette sat 
down in the stall to drink it. It was very good. 

Cousin Shari and Madame put out all the vegetables, and 
they looked very nice. 

“Madame,” asked Onriette, “do you think I will sell all 
of Onri's vegetables for him?” 

“But yes,” nodded Madame. “They are as big and fresh 
as any in the market.” 

And so they were. 

Onriette sold every one. And in the afternoon, she and 
Ju-ju started home again. They carried a fat pocketbook 
with them. 

[61 ] 



At the city gate the washerwomen waved to Onriette and 
Ju-ju as they came along. The pigeons cooed. The flowers 
nodded. The fountain bubbled. But the two boys were not 
to be seen. 

Onriette heard some people talking. 

“What was all that noise at the fountain this morning?” 
a man asked. 

“Two boys played a joke on a little girl and her donkey,” 
said one of the washerwomen. “But her cousin came along 
and caught them. He gave the boys a fine ducking. They 
will play no more jokes for a time.” 

Onriette giggled. 

“If you had only heard the boys howl in that cold water. 
Ju-ju,” she whispered. “It was so funny. But it was lucky 
for me Cousin Shari came along just when he did!” 

And Ju-ju thought so too. 


[ 62 ] 



She and Ju-ju started home again 










THE PUPPET MAN 

Onri and Onriettc were very busy. 

A gay crowd of city people were coming to the inn today. 
They would visit The Golden Bird and eat Grandmere’s 
fine dinner. Everything must be ready. 

Onri and Onriette helped Grandmere all they could. The 
little tables in the garden were laid with white tablecloths 
and shining glasses. Each table was trimmed with red and 
blue flowers. Every orange tree had been given a bath with 
the hose. All was bright and clean. 

The city people would come soon. 


[ 64 ] 






“Onri, we have forgotten something,” said Onriette to 
her brother, as they looked everything over. 

“What is that?” asked Onri quickly. 

“We should have music,” remembered Onriette. 

That was true. The city people liked to be gay and to 
sing. They liked to dance. Onri and Onriette knew they 
liked music. 

So they ran inside to get the red gramaphone. i 

The red gramaphone was a big one. It took both children 
to set it up outside. Ju-ju saw the gramaphone horn from 
the stable. It was like a big red morning glory. Ju-ju won¬ 
dered what it was. He did not know it could make music. 

“Now we are all ready,” nodded Onriette. 

Soon the city people began to come. Some of them came 
on the tram car. But others rode on bicycles. All the way 
down the hill the bicycles were coming. There was a big 
crowd. 

At last everyone had arrived and dinner began. 

It was very gay. Grandmere’s dinner was good. The 
gramaphone played merry songs. The city people knew the 
words to all the songs. They sang along with the grama¬ 
phone. 

Onriette and Onri were very busy carrying dinners to the 
little tables. They had no time to sing. But it was fun to 
listen to the songs. 


[ 65 } 







&$?m, 

v w • .:••■ . 






And now Grandmere told Onriette she bad an errand for 
her to do. There was not enough bread. Onriette must go 
to the patisserie and get more. Grandmere gave her some 
money. 

The patisserie was the bake shop. 

Onriette liked to go there. The cakes and bread cooked 
in the shop smelled very good. And sometimes the man 
who kept the shop gave Onriette a cookie. 

Onriette ran along quickly to the patisserie. 


[ 66 ] 
























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BB 

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Onriette ran along quickly 


to the patisserie 















































The shop was open and she bought the bread. 

Then she started home again. 

But when Onriette came out in the street, there was a 
crowd of people standing on the corner. A puppet man 
had set up his cart and was getting ready for a puppet show. 
There was a circle of boys and girls waiting to see it. 

“Oh, dear,” sighed Onriette, “if only I could stop and 
see the puppet show.” 

But she knew Grandmere was waiting for the bread. So 
although Onriette loved the little puppets very much, she 
went on down the street. 

But she walked slowly, looking back at the puppet man. 
He had pulled aside the curtain of the stage now. There was 
a bit of scenery. It showed a little house and a green tree. 

Just then a puppet came out on the stage. 

What a funny figure he made! It was Guignol, the 
clown. He had a red nose and very large ears. On his head 
was a tall hat and about his neck was a clown collar. He 
popped about the stage in a comical way. Then he spoke in 
a squeaky voice. 

Onriette could hear what he was saying. 

“Good day, my friends,” chattered Guignol, bouncing 
from left to right. “Have you seen my good wife about 
here? Where can she be? Wifey! Wifey!” 

The doll popped here and there, poking his nose into the 


[ 68 ] 



blue curtains at the side of the stage. He looked behind the 
paper tree. He peeped into his hat. The crowd of children 
laughed. Guignol was very amusing. 

Now the puppet wife had come on the stage, too. She 
began to follow her husband about behind his back. He 
did not know she was there. It was very funny. The chil¬ 
dren roared with laughter. Onriette walked still more 
slowly, then stopped to watch. 

“Here I am, donkey ears!” the puppet wife suddenly 
shouted. 

Everybody laughed harder. Guignol jumped in the air 
as high as the tree. Onriette had reached the corner. She 
hated to turn it and go down to the inn. She did not want 
to stop watching the puppets. But she must. She hurried 
home with the bread. 


[ 69 ] 


“Gra’mere,” cried Onriette, running into the kitchen. 
“There is a puppet man in the square. I wish he would 
stop here.” 

“Perhaps he will,” replied Grandmere. “Why do not you 
and Onri watch the gate? If he comes by, ask him in. I 
think the city people would like to see a puppet show.” 

“Oh, Gra’mere!” Onriette clapped her hands in joy. 

She hurried to tell Onri. After a time they saw someone 
coming with a blue and yellow cart. It was the puppet man. 
Onriette called to Onri. Onri ran out to the road. 

“Bon jour, good puppet man,” he cried. “Wait a min¬ 
ute! Would you like to give your show for some city peo¬ 
ple at the inn?” 

The puppet man said yes, he would be glad to do that. 
Many bright coppers would drop into his hat. The city 
people liked to laugh. 

Inside the gate, he began to get his stage ready. Onriette 
watched him. 

And when the puppet show started, how everyone 
laughed. The little puppet clown was so clever. Onri and 
Onriette giggled and giggled to see him. All the city people 
left the inn afterwards with smiling faces. Grandmere was 
glad Onri had asked the puppet man to come in. 

The puppet man was going to stay at the inn for the 
night. After supper Onri and Onriette looked at all his 


[ 70 ] 



they saw someone coming 


After a time 






dolls. They were so cunning. Onriette held Guignol, the 
clown, on her thumb and forefinger. She learned how to 
make him wiggle his arms and shake his head. She wished 
she had a puppet for her own. 

When Onri and Onriette went to feed Ju-ju for the night, 
the puppet man went along. He put his cart in the stable. 

The puppet man liked Ju-ju. 

“Now a donkey is just what I need to pull my cart,” he 
grunted. “I will take him away with me, if you please! 
To which of you does he belong?” 

“Half of him belongs to each of us,” grinned Onri. 

“Then give me the half that does not kick,” joked the 
puppet man. 

Onriette giggled. “No, no, we cannot give him to you,” 
she said. “We need Ju-ju to take our vegetables to market.” 

That night Onriette was too excited to go right to sleep. 
She could not forget the puppets. Onri was asleep. Grand- 
mere was asleep. The puppet man had gone to his room 
also. 

But Onriette sat in her window thinking about the de¬ 
lightful little dolls. 

Down in the garden the moonlight was very bright. 
Everything was clearly to be seen. Onriette looked down 
from the window. She tried to make herself go to bed. But 
she was very wide awake. 


[ 72 ] 


Suddenly she saw something moving down below! 

A man in a black cloak and hat was crossing the yard. 
He went to the stable and opened the door. He pulled the 
puppet cart out into the moonlight. Then he led out Ju-ju. 
He fastened Ju-ju to the puppet man’s cart. He was going 
to take Ju-ju and the cart away! 

At first Onriette was too surprised to move. She stared 
from the window. She did not know what to do. Who 
was this stranger? 

But at last Onriette jumped up and ran to the door. 
Onri! She must wake Onri and tell him someone was steal¬ 
ing Ju-ju and the puppet man’s cart! 

Onri got up at once when Onriette whispered to him. 
He was surprised to hear what his sister told him. He ran 
downstairs to the courtyard at once. He did not believe a 
thief would take Ju-ju. 

Onriette hurried after Onri. 

Downstairs they opened the kitchen door and peeped out. 

No person was in sight. The thief had disappeared. But 
in the middle of the yard, Ju-ju was hitched to the puppet 
cart. 

“What shall we do?” whispered Onriette. 

Onri and she tiptoed out to Ju-ju and rubbed his nose. 

“Hush, Ju-ju,” said Onri carefully, “make no noise.” 

“What shall we do?” breathed Onriette again. 


t 73 ] 



“We must unhitch Ju-ju before the thief comes back, and 
wake up Gra’mere and the puppet man,” sighed Onri. 
“Quick, help me!” 

Onri began to unhitch the bridle. His hands were shaking. 

Onriette tried to help him. 

But just then they heard someone coming. It was the 
thief. 

“Oh, he will catch us!” shivered Onriette in fear. 

Without a word. Onri pulled Onriette to the cart. He 
lifted the curtain at the back and pushed his sister inside. 
Then he scrambled in the cart after her and dropped the 
curtain. 

The thief’s steps came closer. 

“Keep quiet!” whispered Onri. “When he goes away 
again, we will get help.” 


[ 74 ] 









Puppets hung on the wall 
















Onriette trembled. She reached for Onri’s hand and clung 
to it for comfort. It was very hot inside the puppet cart. 
All about them puppets hung on the wall and brushed their 
faces. 

The heavy steps came closer now and stopped nearby. 
Then, to the surprise of Onri and Onriette, the cart began 
to move. Ju-ju was pulling it away. The thief was driv¬ 
ing off! 

Out through the gate and down the hill went the cart. It 
was going away from the village very fast. Onri and On¬ 
riette were prisoners inside. 

[ 76 ] 







What could they do? Where were they going? 
“Shall we jump out?” whispered Onri. 

“We cannot leave Ju-ju,“ remembered Onriette. 


Onri had forgotten that. They must not leave their pet. 
The children were afraid to call for help. The thief would 
hear them. 

They must wait until they came to another town and 
try to escape. 

But as the cart rolled on, Onri and Onriette got very 
sleepy. They began to yawn. And so after a while they 
cuddled down and fell fast asleep among the hanging 
puppets. 


[ 77 ] 



THE CIRCUS 

A rough hand shook Onri awake the next morning. He 
sat up rubbing his eyes. 

“What are you doing in my cart?” exclaimed a harsh 
voice. 

It was the puppet man. He was shaking Onriette awake, 
too. He was angry with the children. His black eyes stared 
at them in a very unfriendly way. 

“What are you doing here?” the puppet man said again 
fiercely. 


C 78] 




“What ace you doing hete?” 
















Onriette began to talk very fast. Her words fell over 
each other. She told the puppet man how a thief had run 
away with Ju-ju and the puppet cart. And why she and 
Onri were here. 

“How did you catch up with us?" asked Onri curiously. 

The puppet man made no answer. He looked at the two 
children crossly and told them to get out of the cart. They 
were afraid to ask more questions. The puppet man was not 
so jolly as he had been last night. Onri and Onriette did 
not know why. 

The puppet man took Ju-ju by his red bridle now and 
pointed to a little town below the hill. The country round¬ 
about was strange. The children did not know where they 
were. 

“Come along," growled the puppet man roughly. “We 
are going to that town down there. If you do as I say, you 
shall have something to eat. But ask me no questions.” 

Onri and Onriette were very much frightened. They 
followed Ju-ju and the cart down the hill. They felt sad 
and homesick. 

“Do you think we are far from the inn?” whispered 
Onriette. 

Onri shook his head. He did not know. He wondered 
what would happen to them. But he did not want to 
frighten his sister. 





“Do not be afraid," he said in a low voice, “everything 
will be all right." 

The puppet man drove Ju-ju very fast down the hill. 
They came to the town. They stopped before a store. The 
puppet man spoke. 

“Stay where you are,” he commanded Onri and Onriette. 
“Do not try to run away. It will do you no good." 

Then he went into the store. 

The children looked at each other gravely. 

“The puppet man stole Ju-ju,” said Onri. “I understand 
now." 

Onriette stared at the mountains beyond the hill. 

“I wonder where we are," she asked. “We cannot have 
come far in only one night. What is back of that hill, do 
you suppose?" 


[81 ] 



Onri looked at the hill. 

“Those are the same mountains we see from the village,” 
he said. “Do you think the inn is back there?” 

Onriette could not say. The puppet man came out of the 
store now. He had something for them. It was a package 
of brown bread and cheese. This was their breakfast. 

Onriette found an apple in her smock pocket. She gave 
it to Ju-ju. 

They ate the bread and cheese slowly. While they did 
this, Onri kept looking back at the hill. He was trying to 
guess how far from home they were. 

Suddenly the puppet man spoke. 


[ 82 ] 













S/?e gaite the apple to Ju-ju 








































































“We give a puppet show in this town tonight,” he 
grunted. “You two will help me. If anyone here asks who 
you are, you must not reply.” 

Onri looked at the man bravely. 

“You cannot make us do that,” he said boldly, though 
his heart was thumping. “If anyone asks, I will say you 
stole Ju-ju. And that we want to go home to The Golden 
Bird.” 

At these words, the puppet man doubled up his fist. He 
took a step toward Onri. He looked very dangerous. On- 
riette screamed. 

But the puppet man did not hit Onri after all. He curled 
his lip and laughed. 

“Nobody will listen to a little boy like you,” he sniffed 
cruelly. 

Onri was very angry. He wanted to fight the puppet 
man. But he knew it would do no good. Instead, he and 
Onriette and Ju-ju must watch a chance to run away. They 
must get home again somehow. 

But there was not time to think about that now. For 
someone was coming down the road toward them. It was 
a tall man with a whip. He waved the whip and called 
out to the puppet man. 

“Halloa! Halloa! How are you, my friend? Where 
have you been all summer?” asked the stranger. 


[ 84 } 





The puppet man knew the man with the whip. He was 
glad to see him. He shook his hand. 

“Ah, Bacardi,” he greeted, “I have just come to town to 
give my puppet show. Are you here with the circus?” 

“Yes,” said Bacardi. For that was the name of the man 
with the whip. “Come over to the tent. My family are 
here. My wife and the boys will be glad to see you. How 
have you been?” 

It seemed that Bacardi and the puppet man were old 
friends. The two men walked off together. The circus 
man had not even looked at Onri and Onriette. He had not 
noticed Ju-ju. He and the puppet man were going toward 
the circus tents. 


[ 85 ] 










Onri and Onricttc followed after them. Ju-ju pulled the 
cart along. The children had never been so close to a circus 
before. They looked at the big tents curiously. 


The Bacardi family traveled with this circus. They lived 
in wagons and tents. All of them performed in the circus. 

The Bacardi children were older than Onri and Onriette. 
They were in the first tent close by. There was Lita, a big 
girl, and also Dino and Gino, the two boys. They were 
glad to meet Onri and Onriette. 

Madame Bacardi was in the tent also. She was a large 
woman dressed in a costume of shining green spangles. She 
performed on the trapeze. She had a little baby. He lay 
cozily asleep in a trunk top beside Madame. He was very 
cunning. 

“Sit down,” smiled Lita now to Onriette. 

Gino and Dino nodded to Onri in a friendly way. 

[ 86 ] 



mm 

>-ft' - V * 

■IS* 

- 


He lay cozily asleep 





Onri and Onriette sat down. They could hardly take 
their eyes from the circus boys. Gino and Dino were dressed 
as clowns and looked very funny. Their faces were painted 
white. They had marked red spots and stripes over their 
noses and foreheads. They had made their mouths very 
big with black paint. 

“Do not judge me by my face," joked Dino, as Onri 
stared at him. “My brother and I are not very pretty just 
now. We have been doing clown tricks together." 

Onri chuckled. “You look very funny," he said. 

Onriette was startled by something falling lightly on 
her head. She sat up with a cry. In her lap lay a powder 
puff. 

“Where did this come from?" she asked, picking up the 
puff. 

Madame Bacardi laughed. She pointed overhead. “Look 
up there," she said. 

Onriette looked up. There was a little brown monkey 
swinging from a tent rope. He made a face at Onriette. 

“Do not mind Tina," exclaimed Lita. “She will not hurt 
you. She is just playful. She likes to throw anything she 
can find." 

Onri and Onriette thought the Bacardis were the strang¬ 
est family they had ever seen. They did not live like other 
people. But they were merry and kind, and fun to know. 


[ 88 ] 


Onri longed to tell good Madame Bacardi about himself 
and Onriette. But he dared not say anything while the 
puppet man was there. 

“Would you like to see our trick pony?” Lita asked the 
children now. 

“Oh, yes,” said Onri and Onriette. 

They went out with Lita and the boys to see the pony. 
He was a beautiful snowy white. He was spirited and 
lively. He liked to prance about. 

The boys began to whistle to the pony. Lita got her 
accordion. The white pony liked music. He could dance. 
As Lita played the accordion, the pony stepped exactly in 
time to the music. 

He had been trained to step evenly and daintily. Lita 
played in time to his steps. This made it look as if he were 
dancing. 

“Oh, he is wonderful!” cried Onriette admiringly. “What 
a long time it must have taken to train him.” 

Dino nodded. “Yes. But now he likes to dance.” 

The white pony did like the music. After he had danced 
for them, Gino tapped his front leg with a stick. The pony 
sank down on one knee in a low bow. Onri and Onriette 
clapped their hands. Then the white pony got up and tossed 
his head proudly. He was glad they liked his dance. 

“He is our pet, our clever one,” laughed Lita gaily. 


[ 89 ] 



“You love him as we love Ju-ju,” returned Onriette. 

Lita and Gino and Dino had not seen Ju-ju. They looked 
at him now. They thought he was a nice little beast. 

The rest of the day was a very busy one for Onri and 
Onriette. 

They helped the puppet man get his dolls ready for a 
show. If the children had not been thinking about getting 
home, it would have been fun to help with the little dolls. 
But Onriette was wondering all the time about Grandmere. 
She must be so worried. And what would Father think 
when he came back? Oh, it was hard to be so far from one’s 
family! 


[ 90 ] 







Onti saw Omiette wiping a teat from her eyes 







Onri saw Onriette wiping a tear from her eyes. He scolded 
her. 

“We must be brave, Onriette,” he whispered. “Tonight 
while every one is busy with the circus, we will run away. 
Nobody will see us. We will take Ju-ju and hurry off.” 

Onriette felt better to hear this. True, they would go out 
into the dark by themselves. A wind had come up, and 
it was cold. It might rain. But they must try to get away 
while they could. 

As evening came, everyone had something to do. Mad¬ 
ame must be ready for her act on the high bars. Lita pol¬ 
ished her accordion. The Bacardi boys were dressing in their 
clown suits. Bacardi and the puppet man were tieing down 
the tent with heavy ropes, for the wind was blowing hard. 

Onri and Onriette crept to the place where Ju-ju was 
tied up. They untied him. Their hearts were beating fast. 
They must be very quiet. Nobody must hear them. 

“Come with us, Ju-ju,” whispered Onri. “But do not 
make a sound or we will be caught. We will find the road 
and try to get home. Come along, now.” 

Ju-ju was very quiet. He stepped along quickly as Onri 
and Onriette led him to the road. They were away from 
the circus tents. Nobody had seen them. They were safe 
for the present. 

What would happen to them on the road home? 


C 92 ] 


ESCAPE 


Ju-ju and Onri and Onriette stood on the road beyond 
the circus tents and shivered. 

They hoped no one had seen them run away. 

Everything before them was velvet black. The children 
did not know which way to go. The wind swept them to¬ 
gether in a little bunch. It was blowing hard. 

Onriette listened fearfully to the sound the wind made 
in the tall poplar trees. 

Ju-ju stood waiting for Onri to tell him what to do. 


[93 ] 




“If only we could see the mountains, we would know the 
way home/' Onri burst out anxiously. 

Onriette crept closer to Ju-ju. “It is too dark to see any¬ 
thing/' she said. 

The children did not feel happy. Suppose the puppet 
man found they were gone? He might come after them any 
minute. 

Just then Ju-ju brayed softly. Onri and Onriette jumped. 

“Be quiet!" snapped Onri. 

But Ju-ju was going to help his little friends. He knew 
where they were. He had a very keen nose. He smelled the 
fresh breeze from the mountains. He knew which way to 
go toward home. 


[ 94 ] 




t 


But Ju-ju was going to help his little friends 
















Without waiting for Onri and Onriette, Ju-ju started up 
the road at a quick trot. 

“Where is Ju-ju going?” cried Onriette. 

She and Onri ran after their pet in the dark. They fol¬ 
lowed him along the road. Did Ju-ju know how to get 
home? 

Ju-ju trotted along until he came to the top of a hill. 
Here he stopped and brayed softly again. Onri and Onriette 
caught up with him. 

The wind was blowing so strongly the children could 
hardly stand up. But there was the fresh odor of pine trees 
in the air. Onri and Onriette smelled it. Ju-ju did, too. 

“The pine trees!” shouted Onri happily. “We are near 
the mountains! This is the way to go home.” 

Onriette felt two big raindrops fall on her nose. But 
she did not care. They had found the way to go home. 

“Ju-ju knew!” she laughed. “Oh, Onri, let us hurry. I 
am sure the inn cannot be far beyond the pine trees. Soon 
we shall be there.” 

Onri thought they had a long way to walk. He told 
Onriette to get on Ju-ju’s back. 

“It will make him tired to carry me,” replied Onriette. 

But Onri said they could go faster if she would ride. 

So Onriette got on Ju-ju’s back and he started down the 
hill at a fast trot. Onri ran beside him. 


[ 96 ] 





f7 


It was getting colder. The rain began to fall. But all 
three thought only about getting back to the inn. 

On and on they went. The dark road lay ahead, even 
blacker than before. But Ju-ju’s strong little legs flew over 
it easily and Onri ran steadily beside him. 

Onriette nodded on Ju-ju’s back. She was nearly asleep. 

But suddenly in the road behind them, something was 
coming with a great noise! It came nearer and nearer. On¬ 
riette sat up with a cry. Onri pulled on Ju-ju’s harness. 
Ju-ju stood still and turned his head. 

The noise came closer and closer. Now the children were 
frightened. 

“The puppet man is after us!’’ screamed Onriette. 


t 97 ] 




Two lights were coming down the road behind them. 
They moved very fast. Onri pulled Ju-ju to the bushes 
and held him tightly. 

“Lie down,” he shouted. 

Onriette tumbled off Ju-ju. Ju-ju lay down out of sight. 
Onri and Onriette got behind a big bush. 

“If they are looking for us, we will be hidden," cried 
Onri. 

The noise grew louder and louder. Now it was almost 
on them. 


[ 98 ] 







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Two lights were cowing down the toad behind thew 


) 


) 





Then a big automobile thundered past. It had bright 
headlights. They shone in the children’s eyes. They lighted 
up Onri’s stooping figure and Onriette’s white face. They 
showed Ju-ju’s ears standing stiffly on end. 

But the big car did not stop. In another minute it had 
disappeared far down the road. 

“They are gone!” exclaimed Onri. 

They crept out on the dark road once more. If the pup¬ 
pet man had been in the car, he would not find them now. 

Now the children and Ju-ju hurried along once more. 
They were wet with rain. But nothing seemed to stop Ju-ju. 
His little feet tapped over stones and rough places without 
rest. 

Ju-ju was hungry. He was cold and wet. He wanted to 
be in his warm stable at the inn. He wanted a big dinner 
of oats and carrots. Ju-ju hurried. 

All night they traveled that way. When cars passed, they 
hid by the roadside. Nobody found them. As the morning 
light came into the sky, they were far away from the puppet 
man. 

“Onriette! Look!’’ 

Onri was very much excited. Ahead of him he could 
see a village. It was Cagnes. Their home was not far be¬ 
yond. Onri shouted. 

“Look, Onriette. We are almost home!” 


[ 100 } 



Onriettc could not believe it. She sat up on Ju-ju and 
rubbed her eyes. She looked ahead. 

There were the gates of Cagnes. They would soon be 
near the inn. 

Ju-ju was as happy as the children. He remembered all 
about Cagnes. That was where he and Onriette had gone 
to market. 

Down the road all three of them ran toward the town. 

It was just dawn and the towers of Cagnes were gray 
against the sky. Pink clouds hung above the church steeple. 
Onri and Onriette thought they had never seen anything 
so beautiful. 


[ 101 ] 



They hurried as fast as they could. They would not stop 
in Cagnes. They would go on to their own village. They 
looked over the hill to see if they could see The Golden Bird. 

Just as they were passing the gate at Cagnes, it sprang 
open. A burly gendarme stepped out. He was a policeman. 
He looked at the three little travelers and pulled at his beard. 

“What are you doing out so early, little beggars?” he 
asked sharply. 

The gendarme’s mustaches bristled fiercely under his nose 
and his eyes darted from Onri to Onriette. 

“We—we are going home,” stuttered Onri, backing away 
in haste. He did not want the gendarme to return them to 
the puppet man. Perhaps he bad been told to look for 
them! 


[ 102 ] 



“We—we ate going home ” stuttered Onti 















“Tiens!” spoke the gendarme. “A fine hour it is to be 
about. You are early risers, little cabbages. Perhaps you 
have been up all night, eh? Where is this home you are 
going to?” 

The gendarme has orders to take beggars to the prefecteur, 
who was the head gendarme at the police station. They must 
not wander about the country in France. 

Onri and Onriette looked very much like little beggars 
now. They were wet with rain. They were muddy with 
dust from the road. They were hungry-looking and be¬ 
draggled. The gendarme thought they really had no home. 
Should he arrest these children? 

“Where is your home?” he asked again. 

Onri did not know what to say. Onriette said nothing 
either. They looked at the ground and trembled. 

“Well?” growled the gendarme. 

“We—we do not live far from here,” stammered Onri. 

The policeman grunted. “So? Who is your mother, 
then, tell me that? Why does she let you out at this hour?” 

Poor Onri! Poor Onriette! They had no mother. Grand- 
mere had always taken care of them. Father was far away. 
If they told the gendarme they had no mother, what would 
he do? 

Onri stood twisting his cap in his hands. Onriette tried 
to swallow the lump in her throat. 


[ 104 ] 



There is no telling what the gendarme might have done. 

But now Ju-ju was tired of waiting for his warm stable. 
He was cold. He was hungry. He shook his head and brayed 
loudly. He stamped his feet and switched his tail. He laid 
back his ears and he showed his teeth. 

Ju-ju was angry with the gendarme. He wanted him to 
let Onri and Onriette go home. He trotted up to the police¬ 
man and nipped him on the coat sleeve. 

Then he backed around, kicked his heels high under the 
gendarme's nose, and ran down the road toward home as 
fast as he could. 

“Ju-ju! He is running away!’’ screamed Onri, going 
after him. 

“Our pet! We must catch him!’’ burst out Onriette, fol¬ 
lowing Onri. 

Down the road Onri and Onriette flew as if they had 
wings on their feet. 


[ 105 ] 


The qendarme stared after them in surprise. He watched 
them racing along. Far down the road Onri and Onriette 
had caught Ju-ju. They jumped on his back and Ju-ju 
kept running. He was taking them safely home. 

The gendarme scratched his head and stood watching. 

“Now could those have been the children from The 
Golden Bird I was to look for?” he asked himself. 

But he decided they were not. He shrugged his shoulders, 
threw up his hands, and went back to the gate. 

“What is the use of running after little beggars so early 
in the morning?” he said lazily as he crossed his arms and 
leaned on the gate. 







MAM’SELLE 

Onri and Onriette and Ju-ju came quickly into the court¬ 
yard of The Golden Bird. 

They were tired and cold and hungry. They had come 
fast all the way from Cagnes. But they did not think of 
that. They were anxious to see Grandmere. 

Onri went to the stable and tied up Ju-ju. 

Onriette waited for her brother. 

Together the children went to the kitchen door. They 
stopped on the steps. 

“What will Gra’mere say?” Onriette sighed. 


[ 107 ] 



Indeed, that was something to wonder about. Grand- 
mere must have worried about them. Perhaps she would 
think they should not have climbed into the puppet cart. 
Perhaps she was angry with them. Perhaps when Father 
came home, he would punish them for going away. 

Onri and Onriette thought of all this as they stood on the 
steps outside the kitchen door. 

“Come along,” said Onri, pushing open the door. “If 
we have done wrong, we must take a scolding.” 

They went inside and everything was just as they remem¬ 
bered it. It seemed so good, so cozy. It seemed as if they 
had been away a long, long time. It was wonderful to be 
back. 

“Gra’mere,” called Onri loudly, “we have come home.” 

“Gra’mere, it is us! Onri and Onriette!” called Onriette. 

They waited a minute, but there was no answer. 

Where was Grandmere? 

“She will be in her room asleep,” explained Onri. going 
to the stairs. 

“But it is seven o’clock,” replied Onriette, looking at the 
cuckoo clock over the fireplace. 

They hurried upstairs. They looked in Grandmere's 
room. They looked everywhere. But their grandmother 
was not in the house. Where could she be? 

Onriette’s face was long. Onri was very grave. 


[ 108 ] 


“Gra’mere has gone away somewhere,” gulped Onriette. 

But just then they heard voices below. Steps sounded in 
the kitchen. The two children flew down the stairs shouting: 

“Gra’mere. Gra’mere, is it you?” 

Yes, it was Grandmere, and Mam’selle. They seized Onri 
and Onriette in their arms as if they would never let go. 

“My little treasures, where have you been?” asked Grand- 
mere, kissing them fondly. 

“Oh, Gra’mere, we are so hungry,” chirped Onriette. 

“It is good to be home,” yawned Onri. 

“But tell us what happened to you?” begged Mam’selle. 
“Where have you been all this time?” 


C 109 } 








‘Yes, yes, Docteur Lepage has been scouring all the coun¬ 
try for you,” returned Grandmere. ‘‘You have added many 
gray hairs to my head, little ones.” 

"You will not scold us, dear Gra’mere?” coaxed Onriette. 

It was because of Ju-ju,” added Onri earnestly. 

“Now you are safe, nothing matters,” cried Grandmere, 
hugging them close again. “But tell us all about it.” 

So after the children had put on dry clothes and eaten 
breakfast, Onri and Onriette told Grandmere and Mam’selle 
all about where they had been and what had happened to 
them. 


[ no] 

































“Eh bien, that puppet man was a fine villain,” cried 
Grandmere when she had heard all. 

“He should be arrested,” added Mam'selle firmly. 

“He cannot hurt us now,” stated Onri. “And we got 
Ju-ju away from him, too.” 

“You did very well,” said Grandmere proudly. “You 
are my own brave little ones. We will talk of it no more.” 

It seemed as if Grandmere and Mam'selle could not smile 
enough, now that Onri and Onriette were safely home once 
more. 

“We must get word to Docteur Lepage that you are safe,” 
said Grandmere after a while. 

“To think of you alone on that dark road in the rain,” 
shivered Mam'selle. 

“We had Ju-ju,” laughed Onriette. 

“So you did,” nodded Grandmere. 

Onri took some breakfast out to Ju-ju now. When he 
came in, he asked Grandmere a question. 

“Gra’mere, where were you when we came back this 
morning? We could not find you anywhere.” 

Grandmere gathered Onri and Onriette in her arms and 
looked at them fondly. Her eyes were kind. 

“I had been down to the telephone to see if Docteur 
Lepage had found you,” she replied. “But there was an¬ 
other reason also,” she added. 


[ 112 ] 



Onri and Onricttc looked up in surprise. 

“What was that, Gra’mere?" 

“There was a bad storm at sea last night," said Grand- 
mere. “Your father’s boats have not come in. We have 
been waiting to hear why they are late. The storm was 
very bad." 

“You mean Father may have had trouble with his boats 
in the storm?" asked the children together anxiously. 

Grandmere nodded. “Yes. But we hope not. Cousin 
Shari is down in the city now. He will telephone us as 
soon as the boats have come in safely." 


[ 113 ] 



Onri and Onriette were surprised. They did not know 
the storm had been so bad out at sea. Were the fishing boats 
safe? Would Father be home soon? 

Onriette went over to Onri and whispered in his ear. 

Onri nodded. 

The children looked at Grandmere. 

“We are going down to talk to the Little Blue Jesus, 
Gra’mere,” said Onriette, crossing the room to the door. 

“We will ask Him to bring Father safely home,” added 
Onri. 


[ 114 ] 











Onriette whispered in his ear 






















































Grandmere smiled. “Very well, little ones. He will help 
you, I am sure.” 

Everyone in the village went to the Little Blue Jesus with 
their troubles. He was a little stone figure. He had been 
carved long ago over the city gate when the village was new. 
He looked down on everyone coming in or out of the village. 

The Little Blue Jesus was a pretty baby. His little stone 
curls were painted gold. His eyes were blue. He was 
wrapped in blue swaddling clothes. His colors were dull 
now, because He had been hanging over the gate hundreds 
of years. But the village children loved Him very much. 

Onri and Onriette picked a bunch of flowers to take with 
them. When they came to the shrine, they laid the blossoms 
at the Baby Jesus’ feet. Then they looked up at Him anx¬ 
iously. 

“Please, Little Blue Jesus, send Father’s boats home 
safely,” said Onri and Onriette together. 

The little stone lips seemed to smile at them, and they 
went back to the inn happily. 

“The boats will come in all right now, Gra’mere,” com¬ 
forted Onriette, putting her arms about the old lady’s neck. 

“Father is a good sailor,” remembered Onri proudly. 

Mam’selle smiled. “Of course. Let us go down to the 
telephone. I am sure Shari will call us very soon. Perhaps 
the boats are here now?” 


[116] 



“Yes, yes!” cried Onri and Onriette. 

So they went down to the telephone with Grandmere and 
Mam’selle. The telephone was in the store. They could 
wait there. 

Nearly all the village people were in the store, too. They 
were waiting to hear of the boats. Everyone was surprised 
to see Onri and Onriette. They had to hear all about what 
had happened to them. 

Grandmere and Onri and Onriette and Mam’selle re¬ 
mained a long time near the telephone. At last it rang. 
Mam’selle hurried to answer it. Cousin Shari was speaking 
from the city. 


[ 117] 




“The boats are in. Everyone is safe. We will come right 
up to the inn on the tram car," explained Shari into the 
telephone. 

Onri and Onriette and Grandmere were so happy to hear 
this! 

Father was coming home. This time he would stay with 
them a long while. He had promised. The children could 
hardly wait to see him. 

They all went back to the inn to wait for the tram car. 

And when it came up the hill, Onri and Onriette saw 
someone waving from it. They looked closely and shouted: 

“Gra'mere! Mam’selle! It is Father and Cousin Shari!” 

Everybody danced about in joy. 


[ ] 









Onri and Onriette ran about in circles 








Ju-ju brayed from the stable. Grandmere waved her 
apron over her head. Mam’selle’s eyes were shining brightly. 

Onri and Onriette ran about in circles. 

Father was as big and brown as ever. He had a big hug 
for each of them—Mam'selle, too! Cousin Shari was smil¬ 
ing very much. 

Everyone talked at once. Onri and Onriette could not 
chatter fast enough. They brought Ju-ju for Father to see. 

“Father dear, we do thank you for our little Ju-ju,” 
exclaimed Onriette. 

“He saved us from a gendarme grinned Onri. 

Father was surprised to hear that. So the children told 
him about their adventure. 

When they had finished, he looked at them gravely. 

“I think it is well to give you children another present,” 
he replied solemnly, “It is something you have been want¬ 
ing for a long time.” Onri and Onriette stared at him. Fa¬ 
ther went up to Mam’selle and kissed her before everybody. 
“Here is a mother for you, little ones,” he said gaily. “Love 
her well, for she is ours now!” 

Mam’selle turned a rosy red and looked very happy. 

Grandmere took her hand in delight. Cousin Shari was 
pleased. But Onri and Onriette only stared in great surprise. 

“Have you not something to say to your new mother?” 
Father asked them. 


[ 120 ] 



Still Onri and Onriettc stared at Mam’selle as if they did 
not know what to say. 

Mam'selle did not look so happy now. She was grave. 
She went up to the children and held out her arms longingly. 

“Little ones,” she sighed, “perhaps you do not love me 
as much as I love you?” 

With these words, Onri and Onriette seemed suddenly to 
wake up. 

“But yes,” burst out Onri, running up to take her hand. 
“We love you very much, dear Mam’selle!” 

“And I wished for a mother just like you on Ju-ju's 
birthday cake!” cried Onriette. She threw herself delight¬ 
edly in Mam’selle’s arms. “Now my wish has come true,” 
she exclaimed. 


C 121 ] 






Onri and Omiette danced in a circle about her 










'‘Very well then, I will be your mother,” smiled Mam’- 
selle. 

Onri and Onriette danced in a circle about her. 

“But you are still our own dear Mam’selle!” remembered 
Onriette. 

Father was laughing in his deep voice. Grandmere was 
smiling and wiping her eyes. Cousin Shari chuckled. 

They were all very happy. 

Ju-ju was glad Mam’selle was going to be with Onri and 
Onriette for always. 

And outside the little bird on the sign heard their gaiety 
and joy. 

“Something wonderful must have happened at the inn,” 
he said, as the sunshine lighted all the sky. 

And he was right! 








What The French Words Mean t and How They Are Pronounced: 


French words 

French pronunciation English meaning 

jou-jou* 

job-job 

plaything 

Onri 

On-ree 

Harry 

Onriette 

On-ree-et 

Harriet 

grandmere 

graun-mair 

grandmother 

Docteur Lepage 

Doc-ter Le-pahj 

Doctor Lepage 

Mam'selle Marie 

Ma'am-zel Marie 

Miss Marie 

Jacques 

Jhack 

Jack 

Madame Dupre 

Madame Doo-pray 

Mrs. Dupre 

gendarme 

jh on-darm 

policeman 

prefecteur 

pra-feck-ter 

police captain 

Cagnes 

Cann 

French city 

Guignol 

Geen-yol 

clown's name 

chocolat 

sho-ko-lah 

chocolate 

sabots 

sa'-bo 

wooden shoes 

potage 

po-tahj 

soup 

citronade 

si-tro-nod 

lemonade 

patisserie 

pa-tee-ser-ee 

bake shop 

Charles 

Shari 

Charles 

“Mors!” 

A-lor 

“So!” 

“Eh bien!” 

A-be-an 

“Well, well!” 

“Bonne chance!” 

Bun shons 

“Good luck!” 

“Tiens!” 

Tee-an 

“Now, then!” 

“Bon jour!” 

Bon jhur 

“Good day!” 

“Mes petits” 

May pe-tee 

“My little ones! 


*The word JU-JU is a contraction of the French word jou-jou f or 

plaything. 















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